Approve WSUS 3.0 Updates

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server Update Services

You should approve updates to test the functionality of your WSUS deployment. There are many options for deploying updates; the procedure below covers only the basics. Use WSUS Help or the Microsoft Windows Update Services 3.0 Operations Guide at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=81072 to understand all your approval options.

To approve multiple updates for installation

1. On the WSUS Administration console, click Updates, and then click All Updates or the classification of updates you wish to approve.

2. On the list of updates, right-click the update or updates you want to approve for installation, and then click Approve on the shortcuts menu.

3. In the Approve Updates dialog box, click the arrow next to the computer group for which you wish to approve the updates, and then click Approved for Install.

4. If you want to approve these updates for subgroups of this group, click the arrow again, and then click Apply to Children.

5. If you want to specify a deadline (that is, a time by which these updates should be installed), click the arrow again, and then click Deadline. You may specify a standard time (one week, one month, etc.) or a custom time.

6. Do the same for any other groups for which you would like to approve the selected updates.

7. When you have finished setting up the approvals, click Approve.

8. You will see the Approval Progress window while the updates are being approved. If there is any problem, such as a conflict among the selected updates, it will be reported here. You may click Cancel to exit the approval process at any time. When the approval process completes successfully, close the window.